Prized for their blowsy glamorous blooms and glossy deeply cut foliage, peonies are held in deep affection by many gardeners despite their short flowering season and vulnerability to peony wilt in damp weather. It's easy to see why. From the promise of early spring when their red mottled shoots push through bare earth and the handsome foliage unfurls, to early summer when the huge flowers burst open from spherical red buds; peonies exert a fascination that few can resist. 'Claire de Lune' is a variety with stunning large single fragrant pale lemon-yellow flowers with deeper yellow fluffy centres from late spring to early summer. It flowers best in full sun. Fill the bare ground around the peony with spring bulbs to prolong the season of interest.

Garden care: Deadhead after flowering. In early spring apply a top-dressing of a balanced slow release fertiliser around the base of the plant and mulch well with well rotted garden compost or manure. If the plant shows signs of collapse or the leaves become spotty this may be a symptom of peony botrytis. Remove affected leaves immediately. In autumn cut off all foliage and dispose of it to prevent reinfection the following spring.